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SimpleERP vs Khatabook: a Khatabook alternative for small business
Khatabook is a digital ledger app for recording credit given and taken, the udhar khata on a phone, with bills and stock tracking added. SimpleERP is a complete ERP with GST billing, stock and books. Here is how to choose.
In short
SimpleERP is ERP software for Indian small businesses with GST billing, stock, purchase, double-entry books, CRM, HR and payroll on one ledger. Khatabook suits an owner who mainly wants to record who owes what, with simple bills, on a phone.
Illustration of receivables ageing: ₹2,14,800 to collect across 5 buckets, with customer totals.
What Khatabook is good at
Khatabook is a digital ledger app, the udhar khata moved from a notebook to a phone. Shopkeepers use it to record credit given to customers and taken from suppliers, and to remind people to pay. It has since added GST bills and stock tracking, and stays simple and quick.
- Credit given and taken in seconds. Record an entry against a customer or supplier as it happens.
- Payment reminders. Nudge customers about what they owe without an awkward call.
- Familiar to shopkeepers. It works like the paper khata many owners already keep.
- Almost nothing to learn. No chart of accounts or vouchers to understand first.
Side by side
Where the fit breaks: the jobs, side by side
The same daily jobs, described as work rather than features. The Khatabook column says how businesses on Khatabook usually get each job done, which depends on the edition, add-ons and setup you choose.
| Job | In SimpleERP | Typical with Khatabook |
|---|---|---|
| Record what a customer owes | Every invoice raises a receivable; ageing by customer shows what is due and how late | A natural fit: recording credit given and taken is the core job |
| Raise a GST invoice | Keyboard-first line editor; the place of supply picks CGST and SGST or IGST | GST and non-GST bills from the app, shared on WhatsApp |
| Allocate a payment to invoices | Receipts allocated against open invoices, with statements for each customer | Payments recorded against the party's running balance, with reminders sent by SMS or WhatsApp |
| Track stock | Every invoice, bill, transfer and work order moves stock by warehouse at average cost | Stock tracking with item-wise reports in the app |
| Double-entry books | Every document posts a balanced journal; trial balance, P&L and balance sheet any day | Usually kept by the accountant in a separate accounting tool |
| Purchase orders and supplier bills | POs to bills with stock received at cost and payables tracked | Supplier credit recorded against the party |
| Payroll with PF, PT and TDS | Salary structures, monthly runs and payslips posted to the books | Usually handled outside the ledger app |
| Several people working at once | Every member has their own login and role | Usually the owner's phone, or a shared device |
| Hand the year to your accountant | Registers, trial balance and the HSN summary export to CSV | The accountant usually keeps the full books from the app's reports, bills and bank statements |
| E-invoice, e-way bill and GST filing | Registers and HSN summary export; no IRN, e-way bill or filing | GST bills from the app; returns are usually prepared and filed by your accountant |
Verdict
Choose Khatabook if… choose SimpleERP if…
Both are sensible choices for different businesses. Here is the honest split.
Choose Khatabook if
- You run a small shop and mainly want to know who owes you and whom you owe
- You want credit records, simple bills and payment reminders on your phone
- Your accountant does the full books at year end from your records
Choose SimpleERP if
- You want every GST invoice to update receivables, stock and the books in one step
- You buy from suppliers, hold stock or pay staff, and want it all on one ledger
- Several people in the business need their own login and role
Honest limits
What SimpleERP does not do yet
Worth knowing before you switch.
- GST return filing: registers and the HSN summary export to CSV for whoever files your returns
- E-invoice IRN and e-way bill generation through the government APIs
- Batch, lot, serial or expiry tracking, and multi-currency
- Bank feeds: bank entries are recorded and reconciled by hand
- Historical vouchers are not imported; the old system stays your archive
Getting started
Moving from Khatabook to SimpleERP
Pick a cut-over date
Note each party's balance in Khatabook on the day you switch, and start SimpleERP from those opening balances. Pick the first day of a financial year, quarter or month; 1 April is best.
Import your masters
Tally Masters XML, Zoho exports or spreadsheets, checked before anything is written: accounts, customers, suppliers and products with opening stock per warehouse. See the help centre.
Bring balances and open bills
Import opening balances for bank, cash, loans and the rest, and each unpaid invoice and bill with its own number and due date. A wrong import can be undone.
Run both for a month
Bill in SimpleERP and keep the old books open. Compare receivables, stock and the trial balance at month end, then set the lock date.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Is SimpleERP a Khatabook alternative?
It does the same job of tracking who owes what, as part of much more. In SimpleERP every GST invoice raises a receivable, and receipts are allocated to invoices with ageing and statements. If you only want a digital udhar khata, Khatabook is simpler.
How is Khatabook different from accounting software?
Khatabook is best known as a digital ledger for credit given and taken, with bills and stock added, and many owners leave the full books to their accountant. SimpleERP keeps a complete double-entry ledger: every invoice, bill and payment posts a balanced journal, so the trial balance, P&L and balance sheet are ready any day.
How do I move my khata balances into SimpleERP?
Add your customers and suppliers on screen, then enter what each one owes you or what you owe them with the opening balances wizard on your switch date. Products and opening stock can be imported by CSV with a dry run.
Does SimpleERP file GST returns?
No. SimpleERP prepares what filing needs: the sales and purchase registers for GSTR-1 and GSTR-2B checks and the HSN summary, all exportable to CSV. Filing itself stays with you or your accountant on the GST portal. E-invoice IRNs and e-way bills are not generated through the government APIs today.
Related
Keep reading
SimpleERP vs Tally
Desktop accounting your CA knows well, or one browser-based system for billing, stock, CRM, HR and payroll on one ledger.
Read moreSimpleERP vs Zoho Books
Cloud accounting inside a larger suite, or one ERP where inventory, manufacturing, HR and payroll share the same ledger.
Read moreMoving from Tally or Excel
Import masters, balances and open bills from Tally or Excel, checked first and undoable, then run both systems for a month.
Read morePayments & receivables
Receipts and payments allocated oldest first, receivables and payables ageing, and statements.
Read more
Try SimpleERP next to Khatabook.
Seven days free, no card. Run both side by side and keep the one that fits.
Khatabook is a trademark of its owner. Details change; check their site for current features and pricing.